Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Navajo President Drops Support of Horse Slaughter and Suspends Roundups

NEW MEXICO, October 9, 2013 — The Wild for Life Foundation (WFLF) applauds Navajo Nation (NN)
President Ben Shelly for reversing his support of horse slaughter in the U.S. Under
pressure by many of his own people, the Nahooka’
Dine’, several Navajo Chapters and The Dine'
Hataali Association, (a Navajo organization comprised of medicine men and
women that serve as board of directors from six Navajo regions), together with the Foundation
to Protect New Mexico Wildlife, and several animal welfare groups including
the Wild for Life Foundation, the Navajo Rescue and Recovery Mission
(NHRRM) and others, the Navajo Leader agreed that he will no longer support horse
slaughter.

Rescue team members and
partnering sanctuaries of WFLF’s NHRRM, including The Black Hills Wild Horse
Sanctuary, Northeastern Nevada Equine Rescue, Live and Let Live Equine Sanctuary, Sacred
Heart’s Firelight South, Wild Burro Protection League, Harmony
Horseworks, Saving Horses Inc., have issued a
harmonious statement of support for Navajo President Shelly's powerful stance
in opposition to horse slaughter. With praises for Shelly's promise to suspend
the roundups of wild horses on the reservation, the NHRRM encourages permanent
suspensions together with positive, viable and humane alternatives for the
management of wild horses on Navajo lands.

The New York Times (NYT) broke the news online yesterday, reporting that “Shelly will also order a
temporary suspension of wild horse roundups on the reservation.” According to
the NYT the Navajo leader said, “I am interested in long-term humane solutions
to manage our horse populations,” Mr. Shelly said. “Our land is precious to the
Navajo people as are all the horses on the Navajo Nation. Horses are sacred
animals to us.

NN President Ben Shelly agreed to
suspend horse roundups on the Navajo Nation during a meeting with former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson
over the week end. Gov. Richardson represents the Foundation to Protect New
Mexico Wildlife, which he founded with actor, director and conservationist Robert Redford. The foundation is
working to stop the slaughter of horses, including actively fighting efforts to
reopen horse slaughterhouses in the United States.

In a press release issued by NN President Ben Shelly, Gov. Richardson
said, "I commend President Shelly for calling for an immediate end to
horse roundups and for making it clear that moving forward the Navajo Nation
will not support horse slaughter or the return of horse slaughter facilities.
This is exactly the outcome horse advocates, such as myself, had hoped for.”

The two leaders agreed to develop a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would suspend horse round ups on the
Navajo Nation.

WFLF, President, horse advocate and filmmaker,
Katia Louise has been actively
working behind the scenes over the last several months with Navajo Elders, and
with Richardson, in garnishing collaborative support in a united effort on
behalf of protecting and preserving America’s horse and burro population.

WFLF’s Navajo Rescue and Recovery
Mission (NHRRM) recently rescued 17 Navajo foals ages 2-5 months that had
been orphaned during the Navajo Nation roundups. “These roundup survivors they
are now helping to show the world that the re-introduction of horses to
rangelands, in truth can rejuvenate the environment,” says Katia Louise.“They are sacred and majestic beings - they heal
our hearts and can heal the lands.”

Wild for Life Foundation’s NHRRM and
its wild horse preservation initiative serves as an educational platform for
the protection of wildlife through the provision of long term sanctuary of wild
horses and burros removed from America's rangelands. WFLF and its Saving
America’s Horses Initiative is an international consortium of scientists,
equine welfare experts, researchers, and horse advocates collaborating efforts
to promote wild horse conservation and preservation initiatives with a focus on
the prevention of equine cruelty. WFLF supports comprehensive and science-based
solutions that lead to systemic change, reduce suffering, and cultivate a more
compassionate society.

The Wild for Life Foundation (WFLF)
is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit charity dedicated to saving, protecting and
preserving equines through rescue, sanctuary and education. WFLF promotes the
preservation of natural ecosystems, wildlife and the prevention of cruelty to
equines, and opposes practices that threaten the environment, wildlife and that
cause suffering to animals. Federal ID No. 26-3052458 — On the Web at www.WildforLifeFoundation.org

The horses and burros served through the Wild For Life Foundation are former victims of cruelty rescued by WFLF from across the country, each with their own special story. We are an all volunteer charity dedicated to saving, protecting and preserving America's wild and domestic horses and burros.